PARIS … Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation has introduced a new digital control panel system to the aerospace industry that offers technological innovations along with sweeping improvements in reliability, efficiency and weight reduction. Eaton will feature the system as part of its product and technology demonstrations during the Paris Air Show on June 20-26.
“Eaton’s goal is to anticipate the changing needs of our customers and the aerospace industry and to deliver products that exceed their expectations,” said Bradley J. Morton, president of Eaton’s Aerospace Group. “The innovations in our control panel system are great examples of Eaton’s leadership in new technologies and our focus on expanding market growth.”
With more than 70 years of experience in improving a broad range of aircraft cockpits, Eaton’s new designs represent the most reliable, rugged, and efficient switches, lighted panels, keyboards and CRT bezels available in the aerospace market.
The new digital control panel system paved the way for one of Eaton’s largest aerospace contracts in 2010, when the company signed a letter of intent with Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, Ltd. (COMAC) and Shanghai Aviation Electric Co., Ltd. to supply control panel assemblies and dimming control systems for the COMAC C919 program. The total contract value is estimated to exceed $425 million based on an anticipated volume of 2,500 aircraft.
Eaton’s new digital control panel system is based on its industry leading SlimLine panel architecture and Series 585 pushbutton switch. The panel offers enhancements such as a reduced wire count that cuts down harness weight, improved lighting uniformity, and reduced weight and higher reliability for dimming control and power units.
The new digital control panel system architecture was developed based on Eaton’s proven compo¬nents and integration experience, including work on Phenom 100 and ARJ21 control panel designs. Eaton also has extensive experience in proven technologies such as controller area network (CAN) bus communication proto¬cols and digital signal processors.
As an added program strength, the use of proven components has given Eaton the ability to accommodate future growth or changes in control panel requirements in a more modular fashion, minimizing the impact on the overall system and footprint.
In the aerospace industry, Eaton is a leading supplier of hydraulic, electro-hydraulic pump and generator products and integrated systems; engine and airframe fuel pumps; electric motors; aircraft door actuation, flight and flow controls; fluid, fuel and air delivery products and systems; nose wheel steering systems; integrated control systems; cockpit controls and displays; power and load management systems; pressure sensors, seals, and fluid health monitoring products and systems. Eaton serves commercial and military aviation, aerospace, military weapons, marine and off-road markets worldwide.
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2010 sales of $13.7 billion. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2011, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.
